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And to what purpofe is the repetition of the fame particle, four feveral times, but to remove all ambiguity, and every caufe of hesitation? And in fine, how otherwife can death be faid to be fwallowed up in victory? Ought it not rather to be faid, that death fwallowed up our bodies uses or as it is in the Prophet, which may also be tranflated for ever, if the fame numerical bodies do not rife?

XXXV. Moreover, we cannot here but admire the almost incredible goodness of God. The divine mercy was willing to blefs our bodies alfo with a participation of heavenly felicity, But their prefent conftitution renders them incapable of fo great a glory. As herbs and flowers wither and fade by the exceffive heat of the radiant fun, fo alfo our bodies, fuch as we now carry about with us, are unequal to bear the heavenly glory; "Fleth and blood cannot inherit the kingom of God," 1 Cor. xv. 50. Where flesh and blood do not denote our nature, corrupted by fin, but the very fubftance of the human body, with thofe infirmities of animal life, which naturally. follow it. Our flesh is from blood; blood from meat and drink and in blood confifts that animal life, from which the body is called animal, v. 44. By fleth and blood therefore is fignified the nature of the human body, as it is nourished and preferved in this life, by taking in meat and drink, and by the circulation of the blood. But fuch flesh and blood is incapable of the heavenly glory. What then? Is God to diminish the heavenly glory, that our body may alfo be admitted to have fome participation of it? By no means. He will rather change the qualities of our body, and of terreftrial, make it heavenly, and of animal, fpiritual, fo as thus to bear a fuitable proportion to the glory, wherewith it fhall be endowed, v. 40, 43. But who, while he ftill remains on this earth, can take in this heavenly language? Who can form an idea of fuch a spiritual body? And yet it is evident from undoubted teftimonies of holy writ, that the righteous fhall have this granted to them, and we are to look for it from our Saviour, the Lord Jefus Chrift, "who fhall change our vile body, that it may be fafhioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able even to fubdue all things unto himself," Phil. iii. 21. that we may fine forth, not as to our foul only, but also as to our body," as the fun in the kingdom of our Father," Mat. xiii. 43.

XXXVI. The fecond thing, in which the last day fhall contribute to the confummation of our happinefs, is fuch a great effulgence of the divine perfections in the works of glory, that a more illuftrious neither the understanding can conceive, nor

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the heart with for. Undoubtedly the foul of man, immediately upon its reception into heaven, moft diftinctly fees very many things in and concerning God, which on earth it understood only by the faint glimmering light of faith: but yet God has poftponed the full difplay of his glory to that day. And therefore that vifion of God, which we maintain to belong to the separate foul, though more evident than we can now well conceive; is not yet fo perfect, but a greater measure of new light may be fuperadded. For, as knowledge depends most of all on the revelation, or discovery of the objects; so that knowledge cannot be brought to its perfection, while a great part of the objects lie concealed. But a great part of the objects in the contemplation of which our mind shall be employed, lie concealed, till a new heaven and a new earth are made, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Indeed, the more illuftrious the works of God are, with which the bleffed find themselves surrounded, the greater is the pleasure, with which they contemplate the glory of God therein. But what more illuftrious, than to fee this vaft univerfe, delivered from the bondage of corruption, and brought into the glorious liberty of the fons of God, which this created world with earnest expectation waited for? Rom. viii. 19, 21. What more noble and divine, than that general judgment, in which they shall hear themselves not only acquitted, their enemies not only condemned, but themselves alfo appointed to judge angels in Chrift their head? 1 Cor. vi. 3. What more illuftrious, than that general affembly of all the elect, from the beginning of the world to the last day, who, being cloathed with heavenly bodies, fhall each of them thine, as the fun in the kingdom of their Father? And with what pleafing aftonifhment may we imagine, the foul will look upon its body, which it formely knew to be fubject only to very many and great infirmities, but shall then behold it glittering with fuch a blaze of light, as that it may feem, not indeed, equa to, but yet greatly refembling the glorious body of Chrift? And as, in all these things, it can admire nothing but the effulgence of the divine glory, may it not be faid, while it beholds them, to fee God himself in a most eminent manner? Hence John fays, 1 John. iii. 2. « but we know, that when he fhall appear, we fhall be like him; for we shall fee him as he is." And David in like manner promifes himself, only after the refurrection, that contemplation of God, which gives the most full fatisfaction, Pf. xvii. 15. for me, I will behold thy face in righteoufnefs: I fhall be fatiffied, when I awake with thy likenefs." To this alfo we are to

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refer that of Paul; "For now we fee through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part, but then shall I know even as alfo I am known," I Cor. xiii, 12. That is, in a manner most perfect and altogether divine, a more excellent than which cannot, it feems, be the portion of any creature. For, both the object fhall be moft clearly reprefented, as well in its moft glorious operations as in its immediate illapfe, or entrance into the mind, in a manner which at present we cannot explain; and the fubject will be difpofed in the beft manner," in order to behold and obferve in God, whatever can complete its happiness.

XXXVII. Thirdly, That day fhall bring the blessed to that fruition of God, which fhall be much more perfect and immediate, than whatever they had enjoyed before. As long as there are fome believers, who are still in this miferable life; as long as the bodies of the elect, who are departed out of it, are detained in the prifon of death, and lie hid in the duft, the faints in heaven cannot be ignorant, that very many remains of that power, which fin had gained over man, must ftill fubfift. And confequently fomething must be wanting to the full perfection of their joy. And feeing the effects and remains of fin are not yet abolished in their own bodies, and in believers not yet made perfect, who, together with them. are members of the fame myftical body; which is the reason, why God does not communicate himself to them, but by the intervention of a Mediator. But by the refurrection, death itfelf, which is the laft enemy, fhall be abolished, 1 Cor. xv. 26. and cait into the lake of fire and brimftone, Rev. xx. 14. never more to have any power but over the enemies of God and of believers. Nor fhall there be any member of the whole myftical body of Chrift, which fhall not be perfectly holy, and abfolutely fubject to him. And after all the remains and effects of fin, fhall be entirely deftroyed, nothing fhall hinder God from communicating himself immediately to men without the intervention of a Mediator, as he does to the holy angels. We are of the opinion, with the beft interpreters, that this is the meaning of Paul, in 1 Cor. xv. 28. and when all things fhall be fubdued unto him, then fhall the Son alfo himself be fubject unto him, that put all things under him, THAT GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL.

XXXVIII. To this happiness likewife belongs a boundless and immutable eternity: without which, it would in reality be no happiness. For, no good, how great foever, that one is poffeffed of with a fear of lofing it, can, by its fruition, yield

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that perfect and folid joy, which is requifite to happiness. Wherefore happiness is called eternal life, Matt. xxv. 46. Rom, ii. 7. and a crown of glory, that fadeth not away, I Pet. v. 4. and an incorruptible crown, 1 Cor. ix. 25. and the Apostle declares concerning the righteous, 1 Theff. 4. 17. that they fball ever be with the Lord.

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XXXIX. Here it is usual to enquire whether there will be any difference of degrees among the bleffed. In this question, indeed (though we utterly disclaim the proud doctrine of the Romanists concerning the disparity of glory, founded on the inequality of merits) the arguments of thofe, who think, that God will crown the unequal measure of the gifts of grace with a difparity of gifts of glory, feem more probable to us. this purpose are those scriptures, Rom. ii. 6. " who will render to every one according to his deeds," and 2 Cor. v. 10. "that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done." By which words is not barely fignified the quality of the free reward, which fhall be granted the righteous according to their works; but alfo the quantity of that reward, answering in a certain proportion to their works. Which is exprefsly explained by the Apoitle, 2 Cor. ix. 6. "he which foweth fparingly, fhall reap alfo fparingly : and he which foweth bountifully, fhall reap alfo bountifully." Moreover, that this harvest, and its diverfity, or different product, is erroneously confined to this life, appears from comparing this place with Gal. vi. 8. " he that foweth to his flesh, fhall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that soweth to the fpirit fhall of the fpirit reap life everlasting." To the fame effect is 1 Cor. iii. 8. " he that planteth and he that watereth are one and every man fhall receive his own reward, according to his own labour." Where it is clearly enough declared, that the proportion of the reward will be adjufted to that of the labour. Nor unlike to this is the difcourfe concerning the refurrection of the dead, 1 Cor. xv. 40, 41. "there are alfo celeftial bodies, and bodies terreftrial; but the glory of the celeftial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the fun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the ftars; for one star differeth from another star in glory." Where first, the bodies laid aside at death are compared with those affumed at the resurrection and then, the celestial bodies are faid to differ very much in glory from each other. As the fun, moon, and stars, are all truly celestial bodies, but greatly unlike in glory. And to what purpose is that distinct mention of fun, moon and VOL. II. ftars,

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ftars, and of the unequal glory of each, if the Apostle only intended to teach us the difference of the terrestrial from the celestial bodies, while all the celeftial were notwithstanding to have the fame degree of glory?

XL. It cannot, it feems, on any pretence, be denied, that at least the principal leaders, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apofties, Martyrs, and diligent teachers of the Old and New Testament church, fhall have fome greater degree of glory affigned them. What was faid to the Apostles, was not faid to all, Mat. xix, 28. "when the Son of man fhall fit in the throne of his glory, ye alfo fhall fit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Ifrael." The meaning of these words, if I can form any judgment, the illuftrious Grotius has best of all explained. It is, as if our Lord had faid, you fhall occupy the next place of honour to me your king. To judge, here denotes, to be fet over, or to prefide by a metalepfis, because generally prefidents are employed in paffing fentence. Whence a presidentship or province is called by the Hebrews ar, Gen. xlix. 16. Zech. iii. 7. The metaphor is taken from the ancient ftate of the kingdom of Ifrael, in which the Phylarchæ, or heads of the tribes, stood in the next degree to the royal majefty, and are supposed to have fat by the king's throne, in chairs of state, in the public affemblies. But to confine this glory of the Apostles within the limits of the church militant in fuch a manner, that in the triumphant, where they have the full reward of their Jabours, they fhall quit their thrones, feems repugnant to reafon: nor does it agree with John's vision, who faw in heaven four and twenty thrones, and twenty four elders fitting on them, that is, the Patriarchs of the Old and New Teftament church, "Clothed in white raiment, and having on their heads crowns of gold," Rev. iv, 4. And these things are fo evident, that thofe very perfons, who, in other refpects, contradict the difparity of celeftial glory, own, that we are to dif tinguish between that happiness, which fhall be the portion of believers, as believers, and the commendation, which, in the laft day, fhall be given to every one, in proportion to the diligence and fuccefs he fhall have laboured in promoting the kingdom of Christ, and which it feems, is to be inequally diftribu ted. But because it is a glorious thing, to obtain fuch a commendation from the mouth of Chrift, and the memory of that testimony fhall for ever abide in the minds of believers; they cannot deny, but in the kingdom of heaven a disparity of degrees in that kind of glory may be admitted to take place among the blefied. For certainly, it is not to be thought, that

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